Abstract
Keywords: bus, front impact, regulation, driver, compartment, survival space
Statistical figures are analyzed about bus frontal collisions showing the severity of this accident type among all bus accidents. Based on in-depth accident analyses different types of frontal collision are specified and those are pointed out which are the most dangerous in respect of the driver's injury. The driver's injury risk - based on statistical evaluations - is very high, while the driver is the key person after the accident (to control the further motion of the bus, to help in the evacuation, to call the ambulance and police, to extinguish fire, etc.) There is no international regulation (requirements, test methods) for the driver's protection in frontal collision, the work just has been started in the ECE/WP.29/GRSG group (Geneva) This paper tries to show the possible frame of an international regulation: to specify the groups of frontal collisions in which the driver should be protected, to specify a survival space into which no structural intrusions are allowed, (to keep the driver in the survival space during the accident, to limit the biomechanical loads on the driver) and to make it possible for the driver to live the driver's compartment after the accident. The drivers position in the different bus constructions and designs are different, that should be considered, too when thinking about a new regulation.